Another Chance

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D o not lie to each other. Take off the old

you like old clothes and put on the new you. Honesty is
like a garment that you have to wear each day. Think
about the truth. Face the truth. Love the truth and
always strive for truth. Make that decision today that
you will always be honest.

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T he future depends on what you do now, each
day you are creating your future life, so wisely use your
time.

A lways have tomorrow in mind whenever you
make choices. Appreciate the present so that your future
will be by the vision that you hold within you.

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Y
ou can only hold on to things for so long. There
comes a time of letting go. Then, you need to move on
when you are ready or when the moment is right. When
you can fully let go of something, no matter how much
it hurts at first, you have already learned a lesson and
you become stronger emotionally.

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L ife has turned me upside down these past
few months. My mask no longer just reached my
mouth but some days it covered my whole face and
heart. Yes, my heart had been hurt. Each one of us
has a different hurt . . . but our tears, our fears, and
our insecurities are the same. Somewhere within each
one of us we have been the victim of something so
unfair. A job that is gone, illness, the death of a loved
one, betrayal, divorce....our hearts cry out that
everything is so unfair. In our hearts, we wondered if
we are ever going to get over this mountain, the
mountain that has fallen so heavily deep here within
us. But, as time goes on, we start picking up the pieces
again. And, somewhere along the road, we turn into
survivors. I do not like the word survivor. It sounds so
slight. As if one had ended up in a storm pipe and life
had spit you out somewhere on a sidewalk...and there
you just survive. In my eyes, sadness and pain turn
you into a warrior. A warrior is a soldier, someone
who has learned along the way how to get up and live
again. A warrior is someone who has learned the

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skills to fight back in life's unfair moments. When
you lie so defenseless and powerless on the sidewalk
of life is when you realize that it is God who holds
you and comforts you when you cling to Him like
you are drowning. It is He who teaches you day after
day, moment by moment, to appreciate the little
simple things again, to notice every piece of bread
that He put down for you, and to say thank you.

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I discovered the joy of listening to the sea. It
brings me so much joy. I came to live in this beautiful
place that I now call home. I dropped my anchor and
now I shine my light here like a lighthouse. My focus
now is on love and light, blind to the negative, others
choose to see. For I know there will not always be calm
seas. Whatever the waves may send my way, I will
choose to remain calm in my aligned boat. Knowing
tough times may lurk ahead but calmer seas will always
replace the storm. My soul is centered and whole. There
is no denying it. The ocean brings me calmness. She
truly soothes my soul and speaks words of wisdom to
me, reminding me of my strength within. The ocean
touches me deeply giving me inspiring words to write.
With a leap of faith, I dived into the magnificent and
unforgettable place where the Indian Ocean and the
Atlantic Ocean meet, I am amazed at the power it has
over me. The water is my teacher, my healer, and if you
would look closely, you will see the calmness of my soul
and the ocean moving through my veins.

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S ometimes our lives have to be completely
shaken up, changed and rearranged to relocate us to the
place we are meant to be. I call that place Struisbaai,
my peace and my piece of heaven on earth. That is
where you will find me watching the sun descend below
the horizon. That is where I witness creation’s romantic
shades of red and orange across the sky, giving me the
chance to breathe in and rejuvenate. This has become a
symbol of peace and harmony to me. That is where I
can reset my heart and mind at the end of each
beautiful day.

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Y ou always make me smile and make me feel

better, you listen to me, and you are a constant source of
support to me. You lift me and inspire me to follow my
dreams and to reach for the goals that I have always
wanted to pursue.

I find myself trying to explain those
butterflies I get in my stomach, that warm fuzzy feeling
in my head, and my heart skipping a million beats in
my chest when I am near you......

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W

hen a seedling has to fight its way through
rocks to get sunlight and oxygen and then struggle
through storms and frost to survive, you can be sure of
one thing. Its wort system will be strong and its wood
resilient. Nature teaches us that it is impossible to
achieve success without adversity. There is no perfor-
mance without adversity.

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I want to honor love, though sometimes love
is so hard to put into words. It is all about those warm
feelings and love that bring up all kinds of additional
emotions that run the gamut from agony to ecstasy.

L ove is a beautiful thing. Finding that love
you have been looking for, for so long exists. Maybe I am
too late to be your first. But right now I am preparing
myself to be your last.

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T hese past few months have been a learning
experience for me. I have felt plenty of stress, anxiety,
fear, anger, frustration, doubt, and helplessness. A lot of
changes were necessary in such a short period. But one
thing that I have learned is that time heals everything
and that healing takes time. You walk that path in your
own time. I learned to believe in myself again. I also
realized that I can only love others if I can love myself.
We need to have faith in God, that He is there for us
every step of the way, and know that He is leading us
on a path that will help us grow.

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B itterness is a thief...!! Do not let it steal your

peace away. Listen to the song of your heart for hope
and a better future. Start building your new life to-

Yday…
ou have awakened my soul and made me want
to reach out for more. You have planted the fire in my
heart and you bring peace to my mind. That is what I
hope to give to you forever.....

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I t is interesting to witness how nature

works in silence. Enjoying the great outdoors in nature

has a certain healing power. The flow of the wind, the

beautiful blue sky, the trees and flowers; all convey the

most beautiful story without words as we simply observe

them. That is where one can find inner serenity and

peace of mind. Silence holds immense power. It helps us

to understand ourselves and tune in to our inner

wisdom and creativity. When we are stifled or confused,

silence provides us with enormous insights. One must

get away from the hustle and bustle of the world and

retreat to nature to reach the interior of the soul...

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E very day of our life by the decisions we
make involves chance. If you do not move when the light
is green, you will be waiting for your whole life for the
right moment. If you do not act, opportunities pass you
by.
Be on the lookout to see when opportunities knock on
your door, and if they do not knock, do not let that stop
you. Go out and find them. Go out and create them! We
all have opportunities in life, but when they knocks, do
we always seize the opportunity?

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W hen we think about problems they

grow double; but when we laugh about them, they be-

come bubbles. Quit worrying.....

I dare you to live fearlessly and embrace eve-
ry opportunity so that you may live your dreams.........

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T his is how I see it when I wake up in the
morning. I have two choices. I can either roll over and
go back to sleep or wake up and chase my dreams. I have
the choice. The moment that I begin to contemplate my
dreams is the time that countless possibilities became re-
ality. Limits disappear and everything starts to change.
The opportunities are only limited by the size of your
dreams...

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I Am Fearless. I Am Bold And Brave. I Am
Coming On Strong. The “I AM’s” that come out of my
mouth have taught me a lot about myself. I may have
been hurt, but I will heal. I may be slow to heal but I
finally see that there is beauty in my scars. Grace is
beauty in motion so I choose to smile. I am strong,
despite my insecurities, and I have learned that the
world is an amazing place, despite its tragedies...

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Y
ou are unique and completely different from
anyone else. So, if you want other people to love and
accept you, start by loving and accepting them. The
greatest wisdom is found in diversity and not in con-
formity…

W hen making life decisions make sure

your choices are healthy and not just based on needs or
fear of loneliness. When you do not consider yourself
valuable, you attract people who feel the same about
you, including those who will try to control you. You
deserve better, so keep your eyes open for it.

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S ometimes, it just takes a little reminder that
helps us to realize the incredible potential that lies within
us. As a woman, you do not only provide the essentials
for life, but you also have the power to create life.
Without you, the circle would be far from closed. Be
confident in becoming the strong woman you want to be.
You can transform and change, which allows you to
leave all negativity behind. Do not allow others to decide
about your life, but instead, seize the power that lies
within you.

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I t is incredible how only a few words have
such a powerful impact. Words can change
lives. Spoken words have immense power. Be
mindful when it comes to your words. The words
you speak to others in haste or anger may leave an
emotional impact on their lives. It is important to be
mindful of carefully choosing your words. Yes, a
person can accept your apology and forgive you for
what was said, but they may never forget how those
harsh or angry words made them feel at that very
moment. Be wise to choose only the best words
before you speak!

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L ife is full of unlimited possibilities and
challenges. Let us be honest. Life is hard and kind of
terrifying sometimes.
So yeah, I’m pretty familiar with what life can throw at
you. With these life lessons, I had the opportunity to
grow, test, and challenge myself. However, none of that
counts when you are in the throes of massive, life-
changing upheaval. While navigating myself to the
other side, I teetered on the edge of a new life.
My struggle was to let go of my fears and to allow
myself to imagine what new and fresh possibilities life
can bring. A simple change like a mindset shift can end
up compounding into a huge change down the road. For
now, I will maintain moving forward.

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Get Ann’s first work
MY LOVING

HEART TO YOURS

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Annemarie Botha is an author living at the
southern tip of South Africa where the Indian
Ocean meets the Atlantic Ocean. Another
Chance is her second work. It follows her debut
work, MY LOVING HEART TO YOURS.
She is a woman, wife, and mother living her
best life now and loving her beautiful South
Africa. She is inspired by love and those wonder
filled places land and the water meet.

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